Beaumont School Music Department

For Stephen Hawking's 75th Birthday, the Choir Gonville and Cauis, Cambridge (where he has been a Fellow for 52 years) commissioned the composer Cheryl Frances-Hoad  to write a choral piece for him, the theme being the universe.  In the video below, we get a small insight into her creative process and how she set about finding some words to create her musical image of the universe. In the piece, Frances-Hoad uses Newtonian physics, NASA space sounds and a children's poem as her inspiration.  The coming together of the arts, literature and science results in quite an ethereal work. You can read more here about the influences in the piece and watch the two videos below.  You will also recognise our lovely alumna Alice Webster as one of the three soloists, who asks some of the questions which Hawking asks in his Brief History of Time while the choir repeats "Sun, moon, stars".

Congratulations to recent alumni Tom Pate, who has gained a place in the main choir of the National Youth Choir of Great Britain. He should also be congratulated on his starring role in the recent National Youth Training Choir video below. Check out that frown in the opening!

Louisa Briguglio (class of 2014) will be playing in the Royal College of Music Symphony Orchestra in a concert of Steve Reich's music on Thursday 10th March at 7.30pm. Steve Reich will be joining them (this is his 80th birthday year) and the event will be live streamed. Details are here . Well done, Louisa!

It's always so lovely to hear from alumni students and what they are up to, whether they have gone on  to study Music or not. It has been a delight to follow Emma Doherty's progress at Manchester University and we are not surprised to hear that she has become fully involved in the university music scene.  As well as being in demand as a singer (surprise, surprise), Emma is this year's director of Manchester University Music Society's opera , Castor and Pollox by Rameau.  Watch the video below for a bit of a flavour behind the scenes.  It's fantastic to see Emma combining her music, drama and literary skills in this role. Good luck for the run!